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Churches turn to consignment sales to raise money for missions

Shoppers wait in long lines on the opening day of Wee-Peats Children's Consignment Sale in Augusta.

Laura Ricker (center), of North Augusta, shops for clothes for her daughter Madelyn at Wee-Peats' sale. "You want to be a good steward of your finances in this economy," sale founder Amber Ramp said.

Laura Holte (left), of North Augusta, goes through the check-out line at Wee-Peats Children's Consignment sale in Augusta. The annual for-profit event is one of several consignment sales held across the area each year.

Hundreds of shoppers participate in the Wee-Peat's consignment sale each year.

Shoppers wait in long lines at the opening day of the semi-annual Wee-Peats Children's Consignment Sale in Augusta.

When the Rev. Scott Par­rish started in church ministry 25 years ago, congregations held small yard sales, where members would bring a box of goods and a few blankets to lay on the church lawn.

“We’d have a little Sat­urday sale,” said Parrish, the pastor of outreach and mission ministries at Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church in Augusta. “You’d get tape and a Sharpie and price things for a few cents.”

These days, there’s a new “it” fundraiser in town.

Churches are delving into the resale business with seasonal consignment sales that help not only families, but also church ministry and missions.

It’s old news for Trinity, which started its biannual children’s consignment sale 11 years ago.

Each sale draws 200 to 300 consignors with up to 70,000 items. Consignors keep 60 percent of sales, while Trinity’s 40 percent – often $25,000-$30,000 per sale – goes to support more than 35 local, regional and international missions.

“It’s a big deal,” Parrish said. “It’s a neat way where unused stuff helps so many people.”

In Aiken, First Baptist Church’s Pass It On Kid­sign­ment Sale started as a small fundraiser for the church’s Parents’ Day Out program. To­day, it exists not only to help Aiken families, but also local ministries.

In addition to funds, items left over are donated to local organizations such as the Aiken Pregnancy Care Center and Children’s Advocacy Center, regional missions and a Costa Rica mission project.

Other models abound. Wee-Peats Children’s Con­signment, a popular for-profit sale running this week in Augusta, aims for a “Christian atmosphere” that blesses families both buying and selling, said founder Amber Ramp.

“Every mom wants to be the cool mom,” she said. “It’s just expensive to be that cool mom. You want to be a good steward of your finances in this economy.”

Leftovers and donations from the sale will go to Goodwill Industries.

Fairview Presbyterian Church’s upcoming sale in North Augusta hopes to use Halloween costumes, winter clothes, coats, Christmas items and toys to benefit consignorsand The Fairview Early Childhood Center’s kindergarten and day care programs.

Yard sales are also still popular.

This weekend, First Baptist Church of Augusta raises money for missions with its annual Trash for Treasure Estate Sale. Our Redeemer Lutheran Church will use proceeds from its annual rummage sale Saturday to support the Downtown Cooperative Church Ministries, which provides groceries for those in need.

In a rough economy, resale just makes sense, Parrish said.

“A lot of us end up with extra stuff,” he said. “We all accumulate. It overwhelms our closets and it overwhelms our garages. With consignment, you have a lot more fun and attract a bigger crowd. It’s such a great way to help people in our community.”